Blueberry plant named ‘Southern Splendour’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Southern highbush blueberry, ‘Southern Splendour’, is provided. ‘Southern Splendour’ is a  Vaccinium  hybrid, which is characterized by high vigor, short fruit ripening period, and high quality fruit suitable for mechanical harvesting.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: ‘SouthernSplendour’ is a southern highbush blueberry plant that is a Vacciniumhybrid.

Variety denomination: The new southern highbush blueberry plant claimedis of the variety denominated ‘Southern Splendour’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the discovery of a new and distinctcultivar of southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium hybrid) plant. Theparents of the new variety are Palmetto and Reveille. The male parent ofthe new Vaccinium plant variety ‘Southern Splendour’ is ‘Palmetto’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 16,756). The female parent of the new Vaccinium plantvariety ‘Southern Splendour’ is Reveille, which is a non-patentedvariety released by North Carolina State University in 1990. The newplant variety ‘Southern Splendour’ has been evaluated and tested inWaycross, Ga. and Griffin, Ga.

The new Vaccinium plant variety ‘Southern Splendour’ has been shown tomaintain its distinguishing characteristics through successive asexualpropagations by, for example, softwood cuttings. Plants from softwoodcuttings have been directly planted in the ground. Clones propagatedfrom cuttings have maintained the vegetative and fruit characteristicsof the original selection. The original means of asexual reproductionwas a seedling derived from the cross of Palmetto and Reveille. From theoriginal plant, softwood cuttings were taken in Griffin, Ga. in 2001 tomultiply the original. Subsequent propagations were made from thoseplants via softwood propagation in the years to follow as needed. Allsoftwood cuttings appeared true to type, with no deviations observed.

‘Southern Splendour’ has been compared with southern highbush cultivars‘Rebel’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,138), ‘Palmetto’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.16,756), and ‘Reveille’ (not patented). The fruit of ‘SouthernSplendour’ is larger than the fruit of ‘Palmetto.’ The fruit developmentperiod of ‘Southern Splendour’ is 54 to 58 days, shorter than the fruitdevelopment period of ‘Palmetto’, which is 65-69 days.

The chilling requirement of ‘Southern Splendour’ is 450 to 500 hours oftemperatures at or below 7 C, compared to 350 to 400 hours for‘Palmetto’ and over 700 hours for ‘Reveille’. The cold hardiness of‘Southern Splendour’ is similar to ‘Star’ and ‘Rebel’. Resistance todiseases of ‘Southern Splendour’ is also similar to ‘Star’, ‘Rebel’, and‘Palmetto’, with no exceptional disease resistance or susceptibilityobserved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Southern highbush blueberry plant variety ‘Southern Splendour’has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and culturalpractices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, anyvariance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed at Waycross, Ga. andGriffin, Ga. and are determined to be the unique characteristics of thenew plant variety ‘Southern Splendour’:

-   -   1. High vigor.    -   2. Short fruit ripening period.    -   3. High quality fruit suitable for mechanical harvesting.

The fruit of ‘Southern Splendour’ is very firm, with a sweet aromaticflavor and very crisp texture. The storage quality is excellent and thefruit is well suited for mechanical harvesting. The fruit can be used asfresh fruit for shipping, for customer-picking and for processingmarkets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographic illustrations show typical specimens infull color of the flowers and fruit of the new variety ‘SouthernSplendour’. The colors are as nearly true as is reasonably possible in acolor representation of this type.

FIG. 1 is a photograph of the flower of the new variety of ‘SouthernSplendour’.

FIG. 2 is a photograph of a close-up view of the flower of the newvariety of ‘Southern Splendour’.

FIG. 3 is a photograph of the mature plants of the new variety of‘Southern Splendour’ during fruit ripening.

FIG. 4 is a photograph of the fruit of the new variety of ‘SouthernSplendour’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Throughout this specification, color names beginning with a small lettersignify that the name of that color, as used in common speech, is aptlydescriptive. Color names beginning with a capital letter designatevalues based upon The R.H.S. Colour Chart, 5^(th) edition published byThe Royal Horticultural Society, London, England.

The following is a detailed description of the botanical and pomologicalcharacteristics of the new variety ‘Southern Splendour’. Wheredimensions, sizes, colors, and other characteristics are given, it is tobe understood that such characteristics are approximations and averagesset forth as accurately as practicable. The descriptions reported hereinare largely from specimen plants grown at Waycross, Ga. and Griffin, Ga.with supplemental irrigation. Data were obtained on plants that were 3to 6 years old.

-   Plant:    -   -   Habit.—Upright, with 1 to 2 main canes arising from the            crown, and multiple branching of shoots from those canes            above ground.        -   Size.—1.3 to 1.5 m tall by 3 years. Plants grown under            highly productive soil and fertility conditions have            exceeded 2.2 m tall in 4 years. The plant crown is narrow,            typically less than 30 to 45 cm in diameter. Upper portion            of plant canopy exceeds 1.5 m in diameter by 3 to 4 years.        -   Growth.—Plants are highly vigorous.        -   Productivity.—Medium crop/yield. Yields of 4 to 6 lbs per            plant each year on plants 3 years old or older grown under            well fertilized and irrigated field conditions.        -   Cold hardiness.—Similar to other southern highbush varieties            such as ‘Star’ and ‘Rebel’.        -   Chilling requirement.—Plants require 450 to 500 hours of            temperatures at or below 7 C to induce normal leafing and            flowering during the spring. The chill requirement is            intermediate to the male parent ‘Palmetto’ which is            estimated to require 350 to 400 hours of chilling, and            ‘Reveille’ which is estimated to require in excess of 700            chill hours.        -   Leafing.—Plants tend to break sufficient leaf buds            simultaneously with, or shortly after, anthesis.        -   Canes.—Main cane base diameter 25 to 40 mm, color most near            about Grey RHS 201D to about Brown RHS N200C; two year old            cane diameter 6 to 10 mm, color transitioning from about            Yellow Green RHS 146B to about Greyed Orange RHS 166B;            current season wood diameter 2.5 to 3.5 mm, color about            Yellow Green RHS 145B.        -   Fruiting wood.—Moderate number of twigs 10 to 15 cm in            length, with internode lengths of 15 to 20 mm common.        -   Disease resistance.—No exceptional disease resistance or            susceptibility observed. Typical for early season southern            highbush such as ‘Star’, ‘Palmetto’, and ‘Rebel’.

FOLIAGE

-   -   -   Leaf color.—Healthy mature leaves: top side of leaf color is            about Green 137A, under side of leaf color is about Yellow            Green 148C.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Leaf shape.—Elliptic.        -   Leaf margins.—Slightly undulate to entire.        -   Leaf venation.—Reticulate.        -   Leaf apices.—Broadly acute.        -   Leaf bases.—Acute.        -   Leaf dimensions.—Length: 50 to 60 mm. Width: 25 to 35 mm.        -   Leaf margins.—Nearly smooth, occasional stalked glands along            leaf margins.        -   Leaf surface.—Glaucous.

-   Flower:    -   -   Date of 50% anthesis.—3-year average March 7 to 9 in            southeast Georgia; March 22 in middle Georgia.        -   Flower shape.—Urceolate.        -   Flower bud number.—Low to medium, averaging 2 to 3 buds per            fruiting shoot.        -   Flowers per cluster.—5 to 8.        -   Flower fragrance.—Slight cinnamon fragrance occasionally            noticed.        -   Corolla color.—As flowers first open and corollas fully            expanded, a cast of about Red Purple RHS 61D is present, but            flowers quickly transition to about White RHS NN155C upon            opening.        -   Corolla length.—9.0 to 10.0 mm.        -   Corolla width.—5.5 to 6.0 mm.        -   Corolla aperture width.—4.0 to 4.5 mm.        -   Flower peduncle.—Length: 8.0 to 12.0 mm. Color: About Yellow            Green RHS 145B.        -   Flower pedicel.—Length: 2.5 to 4.5 mm. Color: About Green            RHS 138B.        -   Calyx (with sepals).—Diameter: 6.0 to 6.5 mm. Color: About            Green RHS 137B.        -   Stamen.—Length: 5.5 to 6.0 mm. Number per flower: 10.            Filament color: About Yellow Green RHS 145D.        -   Style.—Length: 8.0 to 9.0 mm. Color: About Yellow Green RHS            145B.        -   Pistil.—Length: 9.0 to 10.0 mm. Ovary color: About Green RHS            137B.        -   Anther.—Length: 3.5 to 4.0 mm. Number: 10. Color: About            Greyed Orange RHS 165B.        -   Pollen.—Abundance: Medium. Color: About Yellow Orange RHS            20C. The cultivar has a low degree of self-compatibility.

-   Fruit:    -   -   Date of 50% maturity.—In Southeast Georgia: May 3 to 4. In            Middle Georgia: May 15.        -   Fruit development period.—54 to 58 days.        -   Berry color.—With wax: About Violet Blue RHS 98D. With wax            removed: About Greyed Purple RHS 187A to about Black RHS            202A.        -   Berry flesh color.—About Yellow Green RHS 145D.        -   Berry surface wax abundance.—Medium.        -   Berry weight.—First harvest: 1.6 to 1.8 g. Second harvest:            1.4 to 1.6 g.        -   Berry size.—Height from calyx to scar: 13 to 15 mm.            Diameter: 15 to 18 mm.        -   Berry shape.—Nearly spherical.        -   Fruit stem scar.—Small, dry, with little or no tearing upon            harvest.        -   Berry firmness.—Very firm.        -   Berry flavor and texture.—Sweet aromatic “fruity” flavor;            very crisp texture.        -   Storage quality.—Excellent.        -   Suitability for mechanical harvesting.—Yes.        -   Uses.—Can be used as fresh fruit for shipping, for            customer-picking and for processing markets.

-   Seed:    -   -   Seed abundance in fruit.—Low, with less than 10 fully            developed seeds per berry.        -   Seed color.—About Greyed Orange RHS 165B to 165C.        -   Seed dry weight.—25.8 mg per 100 seed.        -   Seed size.—1.0 to 1.4 mm long.

1. A new and distinct variety of southern highbush blueberry plant named‘Southern Splendour’, substantially as illustrated and described herein.